A Fresh Start
by The Desert Dancer
Summary: Haunted by her failures and the loss of her love, Lone Wanderer Eloise Montgomery's spirit is finally broken and looks to the Commonwealth in the hopes of a new life. After setting up her new life, Eloise runs into a strange man in sunglasses, offering her something more to her life. Rated T for lots of swearing. Complete!


**I am a terrible person, I know. I should be focused on the 5 stories I'm already writing, instead of writing up all these new stories. I can't help it, my mind tends to wander and I just get the urge to write these stories. I promise, I will try and update my other stories! But I hope you guys at least enjoy this one!**

 **I do not own Fallout, that belongs to Bethesda.**

As the sun was beginning to set on the Capital Wasteland, washing the ruins of D.C. in the rays of the setting sun, a sense of calm was evident. The Enclave had been vanquished, their leaders slaughtered and their spirit broken, at the Battle of Project Purity. The Brotherhood had emerged victorious and had focused their sights on other problems that had plagued the Wastes; mainly the slavers of Paradise Falls and the Super Mutants. While Paradise Falls was relatively easy to wipe out, an easy victory compared to the hard-fought war against the Enclave, the Super Mutants still proved to be a danger. But people were still happy, finally freed from the threat of the Enclave and now no longer having to worry about irradiated water. Or at least, most people were.

Near the town of Arefu, at the Meresti Metro Station, a small gang had formed. The group was a most eclectic one, given that within its ranks was a Super Mutant and a Mr Gutsy robot. The rest of the group consisted of a woman with shaved white hair and wearing a set of Chinese Stealth armour, a man with a greying beard and leather armour, a young man wearing a Vault suit with a leather jacket over it and a Ghoul decked out in combat armour. The small group soon entered the Metro Station, making their way deep into the ruined tunnel system.

"Fucking hell, making us come to the middle of fucking nowhere…." Jericho muttered, lighting up a cigarette. "What's so important that it has to be at goddamn night?"

"Our friend would have had a reason for calling for us, Jericho." Fawkes mused. "Especially since this is a place she tends to avoid."

"Gotta agree with Doc on that." Jericho muttered. "Place is full of freaks, I tell ya."

"Shut your whinging pie hole, you dirty communist!" Sergeant RL-3 interrupted, his voice booming through the train system. "If I hear one more complaint from you, I will make you eat my back rockets and you will like them!"

"Shut it bot, or I'll sell you for scrap." Jericho growled, shooting the robot with a glare.

"Oh yeah, tough guy?!" RL-3 demanded. "Keep talking shit, and I will shove the American flag up your backside and claim you as part of Uncle Sam's territory!"

While Jericho and RL-3 continued trading poisonous barbs with one another, the rest of the group continued journeying through the tunnel system. Charon the Ghoul kept his eyes focused straight ahead, an unreadable expression evident on his irradiated face. The last two members of the group, Butch DeLoria and Clover, were busy chatting.

"So Clove, any idea why we're here?" Butch inquired, an interested tone to his voice.

"Ain't got a clue." Clover answered, shaking her head. "Just gotta message from Doc, saying we needed to head to Arefu as soon as possible, and make sure we didn't run into any of them Brotherhood guys."

"I got the same message, and I'm still confused by it." Butch admitted. "Why would we avoid the Brotherhood?"

"I think I've got an idea." Clover answered. "Might be with what happened to Sarah; really messed Doc up badly."

A sorrowful look appeared on Butch's face, as he nodded his head. Ever since Project Purity and the death of Sarah Lyons, Doc had become a husk of her former self. It was like someone had taken her soul and destroyed it. Before the conversation could continue, the group soon found themselves at deep within the Meresti Metro System, with two people standing in front of them. One was a man wearing a leather jacket, and the other was a woman wearing a set of Power Armour with the symbol of the Brotherhood on the chest plate.

"Greetings, everyone." Star Paladin Cross stated, nodding her head. "This is Vance, the leader of the Family."

"Yeah yeah, we know all about them blood suckers." Jericho interrupted, taking a drag of his cigarette. "But what the fuck is going on here, Cross?"

"I shall ask you to refrain from referring to my family as 'blood suckers', and that will be the only warning you receive." Vance stated, a hint of distaste to his voice. "And as for why you are here, the Star Paladin and a few of her friends have come here for sanctuary."

"Sanctuary?" Butch asked. "From what?"

Before Star Paladin Cross could explained, the sounds of footsteps filled the air. The group quickly turned to their left, to see a woman and a dog walking towards them.

The woman looked to be quite young, with pale skin and dull red hair tied up in a messy ponytail. Her eyes were an emerald green, hidden behind a pair of old eyeglasses. The woman was wearing a Vault 101 suit, but modified with belts and bits of leather armour. A rifle was strapped to her back and two pistols holstered around her waist, showing the woman to be armed to the teeth. But the most striking feature about this woman was her left arm; instead of being a normal flesh colour, her hand was made from some metallic substance, making it obvious that she had a prosthetic arm. This was the Lone Wanderer, the saviour of the Capital Wasteland, the hero from Vault 101, Eloise 'Doc' Montgomery.

"Hey guys, thanks for coming." The Lone Wanderer stated, flashing her friends a tired smile. "It means a lot to me, honestly."

"Jeez girlie, you look like shit." Jericho muttered.

As much as the rest of the group wanted to deny it, the former Raider was pretty much on point. Eloise's hair was in a loose ponytail and her hair was slightly messed up. Her cheeks were gaunt, her skin slightly paler than usual and noticeable bags were underneath her emerald eyes. Compared to how Eloise usually looked, neat and without a hair out of place, this was a most shocking transformation.

"Thanks Jericho, means a lot to me." Eloise responded, sarcasm dripping from every word. "But in all seriousness, I've made a decision, a very important one. I'm ….. I'm leaving the Capital, and I'm not coming back."

The temperature of the room seemed to drop a few degrees, as everyone let what Eloise just said sink in. The silence that followed was soon broken, as the group of companions broke out into a cacophony of confusion and shouting. Eloise winced at the noise and covered her ears, hoping to drown out some of the shouts. This went on for a few moments, before the Vault 101 native finally had enough.

"Enough!" Eloise shouted, her voice reverberating throughout the Metro System.

The group of companions quickly fell silent at that, slightly unnerved by Eloise shouting. There was something to that shout, a sort of raw anger the group had never really noticed before. Or maybe that anger had always been within Eloise, bubbling beneath the surface, waiting for the right moment to make its presence known.

"I can't stay, I just can't." Eloise explained, shaking her head slightly. "I've lost, well, everything. I lost my mother, my Vault, my friends, my father … Sarah. I've seen, just too much. The Pitt, Paradise Falls, Point Lookout. I can't even sleep at night anymore, cause all I'm seeing is blood and gore. I can't even walk down the streets of D.C., because all I'm reminded of is what I've lost. I need to go, start anew. The memories, the nightmares, everything, it's too much. Plus, I'm being pressured by the Brotherhood."

"Whaddya mean by that?" Butch asked, a frown on his face.

"The only reason I managed to join the Brotherhood, was because of Sarah and Elder Lyons vouching for me." The Lone Wanderer answered. "With them both dead, most of the higher-ups see me as more of a liability than an asset. They also ….. they blame me, because Sarah was the one who sacrificed herself at Project Purity, and not me."

"They blamed you for what happened that day?" Clover demanded, anger in her tone. "They're fucked, all of them."

"I know, but it's just the growing sentiment." Eloise sighed. "I'd rather just retire, than have to deal with the Brotherhood and their hatred, and just seeing nightmares in every ruined building and scorched house. I need to move on, leave everything behind me."

"Where would you go?" Fawkes inquired.

"I've heard stories of a place to the north, called the Commonwealth." Eloise explained. "Heard that things are somewhat unstable, but has a lot of settlements and stuff. Might be a good place to start anew."

"Well let's just pack our stuff, we'll come with ya." Butch announced, a grin forming on his face. "Heck, a change of scenery might do us some good."

Instead of reacting positively to Butch's comments, a teary look appeared in Eloise's eyes as she looked away. Dogmeat let out a sad whine, as he rubbed his head against his master's legs. The grin on Butch's face quickly disappeared, replaced by a look of confusion.

"Paladin Montgomery has decided that she has seen enough of her companions dying, and that it would be inconsiderate to ask them to uproot from their lives and abandon everything." Star Paladin Cross interrupted, taking a step forward. "She was planning on making this journey alone, and hoping to say goodbye to all of us before that happened."

"You can't be serious." Butch asked, whirling to face Eloise. "Nosebleed, why?"

"I've seen too many people die, all because of decisions I made." Eloise muttered. "Jonas died because I was too much of a coward to face Mack, my dad died because of me, the people of Tenpenny Tower died because I was an idiot for trusting the Ghouls, and Sarah ….. Sarah died, because I was a coward."

"You're not a coward, or any of that Eloise!" Butch shouted, frustration in his voice. "Life is shit, I know, but you can't close yourself off from the world!"

"I've already made my decision Butch, so please respect it." Eloise responded, shaking her head slowly. "All of you, deserve to be happy, and that happiness isn't with me. I hope each and every one of you live long and happy lives, because you all deserve it."

"Well you're wrong, cause this ain't goodbye." Butch stated firmly. "We're heading with ya to the border, and that's when we'll say goodbye. And before you start Nosebleed, there'll be no arguing. If we're gonna say goodbye to ya, we'll do it all proper like."

"Actually, that is a very nice idea." Eloise admitted. "Looks like we're taking this farewell party up north, then."

* * *

The sun started to rise on the Capital Wasteland, signalling a new day was beginning. Towards the north, near the thriving settlement of Oasis, a caravan was making some final preparations before heading off to the Commonwealth. Eloise was there, a certain weariness to her, as her friends stood behind her. Dogmeat was by Eloise's side, his tail wagging like crazy.

"Are you still absolutely sure about this, Nosebleed?" Butch asked. "Cause you can change your mind, and we won't think any less of ya."

"No Butch, I've been thinking about this for months now." Eloise responded. "And my feelings only grew stronger and stronger, as I was battling in the Pitt and struggling to survive at Point Lookout. This is the only solution, at least to me."

A sombre mood soon fell on the group, as they realized that this was most likely the last time all of them would be together. Before anyone could say anything, Butch had walked towards Eloise, giving the woman a tight hug. The Lone Wanderer stood there for a few seconds stunned, unsure of how to respond, before hugging Butch back. The embrace lasted for a few more seconds, before Butch stepped back, a small smile on his face. The former Tunnel Snake then removed his prized leather jacket, before handing it to a shocked Eloise.

"Your Tunnel Snakes jacket?" Eloise asked. "No, I can't take this."

"Trust me, you can have it." Butch responded, a firm tone to his voice. "Think of this as a 'thank you' gift, for everything you've done for me. You saved my ma, saved Vault 101 from Amata's nutjob dad, and helped me find a gal I love. A jacket is nothing, compared to everything you've done for me."

The Lone Wanderer just stood there mutely for a few seconds, a teary look in her eye, before she reached over and gently grabbed the Tunnel Snakes jacket. A shaky smile appeared on her pale face, as she tried the article of clothing on.

"It feels a bit large." Eloise admitted. "But thank you so much, Butch."

The former Tunnel Snake just gave Eloise one last smile, before he turned around and headed back to the group. Before Eloise could say anything, Clover made her way over, a knife in hand. The former slave was tossing the knife in the air, always managing to catch it by the handle.

"You saved me from Eulogy, gave me my freedom." Clover stated, a happy tone to her voice. "For the first time in years, I was my own woman. This is my favourite knife, one I've had for years. It's not much, but it has memories to it."

With that, Clover handed the knife over to Eloise, before planting a friendly kiss on the Lone Wanderer's cheek. As Eloise's face turned a faint pink colour, Clover was already making her way back to the group, standing next to Butch. The two shared a small smile, as they clasped each other's hand.

After that, Jericho made his way forward. The old Raider looked Eloise up and down, like a predator observing his next meal, before he reached into his pockets and produced a pack of cigarettes, before handing them to Eloise.

"Thanks for all the caps and booze." Jericho stated, before turning around and walking away.

The Lone Wanderer couldn't help but chuckle at Jericho's bluntness, knowing deep down that the old Raider did care for Eloise somewhat. The next to come forward was Star Paladin Cross, with a pile of papers and schematics in her hands. The Brotherhood soldier gave Eloise a curt nod and a small smile, before handing all the papers over.

"These are for your prosthetic arm, Paladin Montgomery." Star Paladin Cross explained. "If you ever need to repair the arm, or even wish to upgrade it, those schematics will be a more than clear indicator of what to do. It was an honour to serve with you, Paladin Montgomery and you have made your father and Sentinel Lyons proud."

Eloise stood there silently, feeling tears coming to her eyes, as Star Paladin Cross gave her a salute before turning around and returning to the group. Fawkes was the next one forward, his hulking form intimidating the caravaners nearby. The Super Mutant had a smile on his mutated face, as he handed Eloise a mostly intact book.

"This is a book that I discovered, during our trip to the Library." Fawkes explained. "It was challenging, to turn the pages and not rip them, but the book was a most fascinating read. You granted me the gift of freedom, so I would like to grant you the gift of knowledge."

" _Zen And The Art Of Motorcycle Maintenance_." Eloise muttered, reading the title. "It sounds like a most interesting read, Fawkes. Thank you, so much."

The Super Mutant gave the Lone Wanderer a smile, before turning around and lumbering back to the group. Sergeant RL-3 was the next one up, with a burned book in his claw. Eloise picked up this second book, to see that it was a copy of Patriot's Cookbook.

"Unlike that pinko commy rag you just got, this is some actual reading material!" RL-3 explained. "This book should be required reading for all red-blooded Americans! You've done me proud soldier, so you better not die out there!"

Eloise couldn't help but give the Mr Gutsy robot a salute, as RL-3 turned around and floated back to the group. A few seconds passed where everyone stood stock still, before Charon came forward. The Ghoul bodyguard looked down at Eloise, his irradiated face an unreadable mask, as he reached into his pockets and produced a piece of paper. The paper was yellowed with age and held together with tape and wishful thinking. Eloise stared at the paper for a few seconds, wondering what on earth it was, before realisation hit her like a Super Mutant fist.

"Your contract?" Eloise inquired. "But I thought I ripped that to shreds."

"You did." Charon grunted. "Put it back together; couldn't stand to see it destroyed. I'd rather you have it, than some stranger."

"But you're a free man now, Charon." Eloise argued.

"Yeah, but I'd rather you have this." Charon explained. "Contract says my services last a lifetime, so I want you to have this as a reminder of that. Could be years, even decades from now, but if you need help, contact me and I'll come."

Tears started streaming down Eloise's cheek, as she gave Charon a tight hug. The Ghoul bodyguard returned the hug for a few seconds, before gently pushing Eloise away. With one last nod, Charon turned around and joined the rest of the companions, all standing side by side. The Lone Wanderer could feel her heart ache slightly, as she turned around to the caravan that was ready to leave. The guy who owned it was a rake of a man, going by the name Gopher. The caravan owner had an interested look on his face, as he stared down Eloise.

"Mighty nice of your friends to see ya off." Gopher drawled, dusting himself off. "Got everythin' ya need?"

"Yes, I do." Eloise answered, a nod of her head. "Just me, my dog, and everything I can carry."

"Alright then, well saddle up little lady." Gopher responded. "The journey to the 'Wealth is a long walk, so hope you're prepared for a bit o' exercise."

"Don't need to worry about me, Gopher." Eloise stated. "You should be worried if your boys can keep up with me."

"Cocky, eh? Good trait to have, in this business." Gopher said. "Say, why are ya leaving?"

"Simple." Eloise answered. "To begin again."

Gopher gave the Vault 101 native a look, before he turned around and led his caravan forward, pulling the pack Brahmin with him. Eloise followed suite, not wanting to look back for fear of not being able to hold back her tears, but she was more than sure that her friends were still there, waving her goodbye. Dogmeat walked next to Eloise, seemingly excited for this new adventure. Eloise could only hope that no matter what this Commonwealth was like, that it'd grant her some form of peace from all her nightmares and memories. So with tears in her eyes and hope in her heart, the Lone Wanderer journeyed out of the Capital Wasteland, and never returned.

* * *

As the years passed and the stories of the Lone Wanderer entered the realm of legends, the lands of the Commonwealth become more unstable. With the fall of the Minutemen and the growing number of Raiders and Gunners, fear and despair was at an all-time high. For most people, they were planning on moving, trying to find some greener pastures. One person that didn't share this type of sentiment was a woman, currently sitting alone at a bar in Bunker Hill.

The woman was wearing jeans and a dirty white shirt, with a leather jacket on top. Her red hair was cut short, just brushing against her shoulders. An ugly scar ran across her pale forehead, evident of a knife fight she had been in a while back. Her left arm was metallic, but it looked to be cobbled together with whatever scrap metal was found. A dog sat near this woman, its fur starting to grey. Eloise leaned back in her chair, draining her bottle of whiskey, as she tried to calculate how much caps she had left.

While most people were despairing over what was happening, Eloise actually didn't mind it. While things here were bad, they were nowhere near as bad as they had been back home. At least there weren't Super Mutants around every corner, or Enclave troopers ready to move down any 'invalids' in their way, or Talon Company wanting to make a quick profit. At least here, the ground was still somewhat fertile and crops could grow easily, instead of being so irradiated that the ground had soured beyond repair. But hey, things were still good for Eloise; being a bodyguard-for-hire certainly had its perks, given that nearly everyone was in desperate need for some added muscle. Plus, they were more than prepared to pay their caps up front, something the former Lone Wanderer liked.

Eloise's good mood soon turned sour as a stranger was now sitting at her table, a coy smile on his weathered features. Almost immediately, Eloise's intuition was telling her there was something off about this guy. Maybe it was that smile, or the fact he didn't appear armed, or it could even be that he was wearing sunglasses even though it was night time. Whatever it was, the Vault 101 native knew that this guy was up to something.

"Lovely night, isn't it?" The stranger stated. "Perfect night to just open a brewski and enjoy yourself, huh?"

"I'm not one for small talk." Eloise retorted, a frown on her face. "If you're interested in hiring me, my fee is 100 caps per day and there's no haggling. If you're hoping to get into my pants, get out before I let my dog loose on you."

"Hey hey, let's cool down here." The stranger stated, raising his hands. "I don't swing that way, don't worry."

Eloise stared the stranger down, her distrust growing with every passing second. The former Lone Wanderer could tell that this guy was skilled with his words, someone who was good at bullshitting, but the only thing that mattered right now was why this guy was hear.

"Let's cut to the chase." Eloise said. "What is it you want?"

"Aw, that's a shame. I'm a big fan of the chase." The stranger responded, a coy smile on his face. "But if we gotta be business-y, then let's. I've heard of you, mostly glowing reviews. People say your someone who can be trusted to do a job, and do it well."

"I pride myself on my ability to get things done." Eloise retorted. "So, what's the job?"

"Oh, it's not a job per-se, more like an offer." The stranger answered. "You interested in doing something a bit more stable, instead of wandering around from place to place looking for your next job?"

The frown on Eloise's face deepened, as she heard this stranger talk. Eloise almost didn't hear it, but she could have sworn that this guy put a weird emphasis on the word 'wandering'. There was just something about this guy, about the way he smiled and leaned back in the chair, that suggested he knew something that only he and Eloise knew.

It was then that Eloise noticed that this stranger was looking not at her face, but rather at her left arm. Or to be more specific, he was looking at the Brotherhood symbol that was on her prosthetic arm. Years of wear and tear and having to replace the arm with whatever scrap metal Eloise found had caused the Brotherhood symbol to basically become unrecognizable to the untrained eye. A cold sense of realisation hit Eloise, as she stared at the stranger; he knows who she is.

"Nice arm, there." The stranger stated. "Must know some pretty smart people, don't ya?"

"Who are you?" Eloise asked, her mouth feeling dry. "And why are you harassing me?"

"I come bearing gifts, and don't worry I'm not Greek." The stranger explained. "You can call me Deacon, everyone else does. It's not my real name, but I like the way 'Deacon' sounds. Or I could be lying about that, and Deacon is actually my real name. I've been lying about everything for so long, not really sure what's true anymore."

"What do you want, Mr Deacon?" Eloise demanded, feeling her patience run out. "Answer me that right now."

"I know who you are, Miss Montgomery." Deacon responded. "And I've heard stories about what you've done. Specifically about a certain heroic act you did in Rivet City."

A frown appeared on Eloise's face, as she tried to think about what this Deacon fellow was talking about. It had been so many years since she last saw the Capital Wasteland, that things had started blending together for her. But then, out of the blue, it came to her.

"You mean the whole Harkness thing?" Eloise inquired, before another realisation hit her. "Oh shit, you're part of the Institute aren't you? You've come to avenge that Zimmer guy."

"Actually no, but good job on trying to think ahead." Deacon responded. "I'm actually with another group, with people who the Institute aren't exactly good buddies with. You ever heard of the Railroad?"

"I think so, yeah." The former Lone Wanderer answered. "They helped out those robot people created by the Institute, right?"

"Synths aren't robots, but yeah that's the general plotline." Deacon answered. "But anyway, my offer is this; join the Railroad."

"Why would I do that?" Eloise inquired. "I don't know anything about you guys. Heck, to most people, the Railroad is an urban legend."

"That's the way we like it; people being unsure we even exist." Deacon retorted. "But you, I think the Railroad would do some good with you. You obviously care about synths, otherwise you wouldn't have helped Harkness out that day. The Railroad doesn't have much, but we can offer you something invaluable; people who will support you."

"Even if I want to join, how would I do that?" Eloise asked.

"Simple." Deacon retorted, a wide grin on his face. "Follow the Freedom Trail."

The former Lone Wanderer just sat there silently and stared at Deacon, wondering if this guy was possibly just some nutjob. A loud crashing sound soon filled the air, causing Eloise to whip her head around, trying to find the source of the noise. But when Eloise turned around to face Deacon, she found that her table was empty once again. It was as if the Vault 101 native had just imagined the whole encounter.

Just as she was going to get up, ready to head off to the bed she paid for, that's when she noticed it; on the chair where Deacon sat, a holotape now sat. Eloise reached over and inspected the holotape, a sense of intrigue building up within her. The holotape looked like any other holotape, with nothing out of the ordinary. Deciding to bite the bullet, Eloise entered the holotape into her Pipboy and pressed play.

 _"Wake up, Commonwealth. Synths are not your enemy. They are victims in this war, as well. True, they were created by the Institute. But they were created as slaves. Thinking, feeling, and dreaming beings utterly oppressed by their tyrannical masters. So join with us in fighting the real enemy: The Institute. Join the Railroad. When you're ready for that next step, don't worry, we'll find you."_

The holotape then produced static, before it repeated its message. Eloise just stood there quietly with Dogmeat by her side, her mind already whirling with thoughts. She weighed up her choices, calculating in her mind the risks and the rewards, before a small smile appeared on her face. It wasn't a forced smile, like the ones she always flashed when dealing with customers or traders, but a smile that came from genuine intrigue.

"Follow the Freedom Trail, eh?" Eloise muttered to herself. "Maybe I will, Mr Deacon. Maybe I will."

 **I can't believe the length of this story, I honestly can't. I didn't even enjoy Fallout 3 that much, and somehow I produced a 4,600+ oneshot from it. I don't know whether or not to be impressed by that. Anyway, thank you guys and gals for all the love and support, and I hope to see you soon!**

 **Love,**

 **The Desert Dancer**


End file.
